Successful oyster and food festival faces uncertain future

Sunday, 26 May 2019

The future of the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival is uncertain despite it being another success on Saturday.

Tickets for the 2020 festival were to go on sale on Saturday night.

However, because the consent application to demolish the old Club Hotel, which backs onto the festival site, was declined recently, the festival committee is not sure of its future.

The old hotel, classified as a category two building with Heritage NZ, is owned by the festival committee. 

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Committee member Kylie Fowler said the committee had reports from two engineers and both stated the building was unsafe.

'[The building] is not legally deemed as earthquake prone but we're not comfortable inviting 4000 people to our festival and into the shadow of a building we've been told is unsafe.

'No-one wants to buy it and do it up.'

Fowler said the festival on Saturday was one of the best held, with fine weather prompting many to get on the road to Bluff early.

The queue at the main entrance on Lee St stretched 500 metres down to State Highway 1 and along to the Four Square supermarket.

The event was sold out in February and more than 4000 attended.

Closure of Christchurch Airport because of fog on Friday night and Saturday morning prevented some from attending. Fowler said 60 per cent of tickets were bought by people outside of Southland.

Ninety one-year-old Mary-Helen Lun, of Wellington, won a pottle of oysters for being the oldest festival-goer.

She was on the day trip from Wellington with friend Henriata​ Hema, who had been to three Bluff Oyster & Food Festivals.

Hema suggested to Lun they both come this year.

'I've never been here or Invercargill before,' Lun said.

'This [event] is fantastic. It's an amazing experience … oysters, they're unique, there's nothing like it in the world.'

Aucklanders Cher Renolds, her husband David Lamb, formerly of Invercargill, and their friend Shirley Wyma, formerly of the Catlins, flew into Queenstown before continuing to Bluff by road.

'David and I travel the world and Bluff oysters are the best,' Renolds said.

'Natural is the only way to have them. An oyster and a glass of Chardonnay or champagne is just perfect.' 

Janine Ahie​ and Carlie Taufale, of Wellington, said the festival reflected New Zealand's culture.

'Everyone's so friendly and the atmosphere is amazing … this is real New Zealand,' Taufale said.

Jay Daley, of Wellington, said he was attending with family and friends, including National's Wairarapa MP, Alastair Scott.

They decided to book tickets while holidaying in the Marlborough Sounds in January.

National's Rotorua MP, Todd McClay, was also in the crowd on Saturday.

Winners of oyster opening competitions:

Barnes Oysters Boat Challenge: Marvan Ihaia (Toroa) – culching 2min 40sec/opening 2 min 15sec/total 4min 55 sec.

Ngai Tahu Seafoods Novice (50 oysters): Alecia Brown (Calder's Oysters) – 2min 23sec.

Fresh Oysters Men's Open (50 oysters): Ricci Grant (Barnes) - 2min 58sec.

Marina Fish & Oysters Ladies' Open (50 oysters): Vic Pearsey (Barnes) - 3min 12sec.

Daniel Lovett Memorial Blindfold (10 oysters): Kaiarangi KZ Matangi (Barnes) – 1min 14sec.

W E Johnson Relay (teams of 4/20 Oysters per opener): Team Calder's Oysters - 4min 18sec.

Bluff Oyster & Food Festival Oyster Eating: Melanie Cotter (Brisbane).

Wasabi/Chilli Challenge: Liam Jones.